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No. 621,628. Patentedv Mar. 2|, I899. P. BECKER 8:. W. J. THOMPSON.

TYPE WRITER. I

(Applicatiun filed June 14, 1897. Renewed Jan. 80, v1899.)

4 Sheets$heef I.

(No Model.)

. (H /i He 9 W/7'NESSES I //v VENTORS 11g. fflf% Tu: uormls Prrzns co. Puoro-uTnu. WASHINGTOM-D. c.

No. 621,628. E Patented 'mar.j|,.|s99. P. BECKER & W. J. THOMPSON.

TYPE WRITER,

I A lication filed June 14 1897. Renewed Tan. 30 1899.)

' pp 4 Sheets-Shut 2.

(No Mddel.)

INVENTORS mw By A TTOHNEYS.

no. 621,628. Patented Mar. 2|, I899. P. BECKER &. W. J. THOMPSON,

'TYPE WRIT-ER.

7 (Application filed June 14, 1897. Renewed Jan. 30, 1899) (No Model.) 4 S heets-Sheet 3 WITNESSES A TTOHNE I Patented Mar. 21, I899. P. BECKER & w. .1. THOMPSON.

TYPE WRITER.

(Application filed. June 14, 1897. Renewed Jan. 80, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

/ N VE N TORS M WITNESSES YHF. NORRIS PETERS co. PnoTouTHu, WASHINGTON, n c.

, NITED STATES PATENT PHILIP BECKER AND WILLIAM J. THOMPSON, OF- NElV YORK, N. Y.

TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,628, dated March 21, 1899. Application filed June 14, 1897. Renewed January 30, 1899. Serial No. 703,840. (No model.)

The invention will be described in connec tion with the accompanying drawings and defined in the claims.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the type-writer with the printing-wheel depressed. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the type-writer with the printing-wheel in the normal or raised position. Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation of the type-writer and the base therefor, the View indicating by dotted lines the position of the type-writer when within its box. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary central transverse section showing the position of the type-disk in printing. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of one of the spring-fingers of the type-disk. Fig. 7 is a plan view with the printing-wheel removed, a fragment of the track or carriage way being shown. Fig. Sis a similar View with the printing-wheel support or hinged top of the carriage removed. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary inverted plan View, the printingwheel being omitted and the operative devices including the supporting-frame shown swung to one side of the base. This view will be hereinafter more particularly referred to. Fig. 10 is a plan View of one of the inking devices. Fig. 11 is an inverted plan view of a slightly different form of the combined type and key disk to be substituted for that shown in the other views. Fig. 12 is a sectional end elevation illustrating a modification of the spacing devices, the printingwheel being omitted; and Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional plan view thereof.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Our improved type-writer is mounted on a suitable base 10, which may and preferably does form the cover of a box 15. The cover may be reversed, as indicated in Fig. 1; but in either position the base or cover is held in place by spring-catches 25, which engage the reduced ends of the base, as shown in Fig. 1.

When the cover is reversed, the type-writer is received within the box 15.

The track A for the base-plate B of the carriage is formed or mounted on a frame A, which is hinged to the base 10 by clips 0, and adjacent to the hinged end the frame has a longitudinal bar A which performs the function of a holder or presser bar for the paper 20, holding the paper smooth, and it also partly guides the carriage, being engaged bya tongue or arm I) of the carriage base-plate B.

Besides the base-plate B the carriage comprises a plate B, hinged to the plate B by a pintle b and normally held raised in a forwardly and upwardly inclined position by a spring B On the hinged plate B is supported a printing-wheel O, which comprises a combined type and key disk D and the indexdis'k E. The index-disk E (see Fig. 4) fits tightly on the tubular axis d of the type-disk D, which latter rotates on a tubular stud b on the hinged carriagerplate B, and in order to retain the printing-wheel O in place and prevent too free a movement thereof the spring B at its upper end is bent upward, as at 12 through the neck I) and terminates in an outward bend b, that engages the axis d. This arrangement also enables the type-wheel O to be readily removed.

The combined type and key disk D is formed with radial spring-fingers d, and as both the type-disk and the index-disk E are concaved the edge of the index-disk bears on all the fin gers evenly, giving them a uniform tension.

The type f are on the face of the disk and are formed, preferably, on a continuous rubber ring or web F, which is held to the spring fingers or keys at in a novel manner and with improved results. As shown in Fig. 41, the rubber web runs along both the tops and the bottoms of the fingers d and through holes (1 therein, being engaged also by a tongue d which is .upset from each finger. Knobs or protuberances f 2 are formed on the upper sur face of the rubber web and constitute keys to the fingers 01. There is therefore, as will be seen best in Figs. 1 and 5, a front and a back tracted portion f, and it follows that each In the form shown in Fig. 11 the web F runs along the upper surface only of the disk, the type-faces f being separated. Otherwise, however, the formation of the rubber strip and type and the interlocking with the fingers are the same as previously described. Increased elasticity of the type results from this formation, since they are not held by an unyielding connection or adhesion and yet they are secured very firmly. Also, the rubber forms a connection between adjacent spring-fingers andincreases their elasticity. Further, there is such a sufliciency of material provided as enables the type to flexin any direction freely to come to a proper contact in giving an impression on the paper, and the flexibility of the type is further increased by the necks f, which, owing to their reduced size, have greater flexibility than the'other portions of the type.

Provision has been made for a plurality of inking devices for different-sized type-disks, two sets of such devices G G being shown. These inking devices are placed on the plate B'beneath the printing-wheel O and are similar, except as to size. Each has abodyg with an opening g and arms 9 on which are secured the pads g Between these pads the impression is made. Two sets of inking devices G G may remain in place when using the larger type-wheel; but the larger inking device is to be removed when the smaller type-disk, such as is shown in Fig. 11, is used. The opening g permits the bodyg to fit over the tubular stud b on the hinged plate 13.

It will be seen that the large inking device Gr and the large type-ring F project beyond the carriage-plate B,-the latter having at its front a raised segmental edge or member 11 in the upper surface of which is a recess 1), which engages a spring-finger in locating the type, the engagement being with the contracted portion (1 which is inward from the type-ring. (SeeFig.6.) \Viththesmalltypedisk, Fig. 11, the type will lie within the segmental edge L and engage the recess 13 by the projection d on the extreme end of each spring-finger. The small inking device G similarly terminates within the segmental edge or bar 71 to correspond with the smaller diameter of the type-disk D.

In printing, the printing-wheel C is depressed, and with it the hinged carriage-plate B, until the type reaches the printing position shown in Fig. 5. This rocking movement of the parts effects the spacing through the medium of the spacing-dog II, which may be and preferably is a simple spring-wire having its lower end bent at about right angles horizontally, as at h, to engage the teeth a of the track A, the dog ranging diagonally upward (see Figs. 3 and 8) to a proper connection with the carriage-plate B. In the form shown this spacing-dog is integral with the member 72., which passes through a tubular keeper 7L3 and extends to and is connected with the hinge-pintle b of the plate B, as at 72.2. This gives to the dog II the character of a torsion-sprin g. As the carriage-plate is depressed the dog I-I engages a tooth a and forces the carriage to move to the right until about to print, and the dog, having assumed a nearly horizontal position, will cease to shift the carriage' lVhen the carriage rises, the dog will shift forward to give another impulse to the carriage, when the dog is again depressed.

The variation of the movement of the dog to space according to the size of the type is effected, preferably, by means of the novel shifting lever K. (Shown bestin Figs. at and 8.) This lever has a bellcrank form, as viewed in plan, and is f ulcrumed to the baseplate B of the carriage at k, and adjacent to the fulcrum the L-arm of the lever is arched, as at to bridge the track-teeth a, and at the arched portion there is an arm or tongue k formed on the lever, beneath which the bent end h of the dog H projects. The handle of the lever K ranges lengthwise of the track A and may be engaged by ones finger to shift the lever from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8 to that indicated by dotted lines or to the intermediate position, and the lever is held in the adjustable position by lugs 12 on the base-plate B of the carriage. Thus shifting of the lever from the position shown in full lines throws the dog H laterally and incidentally draws down the hinged plate B and its supported parts, and it will be seen that as the dog is thus given a lesser angle to the track it follows that it will give less movement to the carriage before reaching a nearly horizontal position,where it ceases to shift the carriage.

The dog normally is just clear of the trackteeth a, so that the carriage may be simply slid back in returning it. The carriage is prevented from accidental movement by a friction-spring M, Fig. 9. This is shown as a bowed spring and is located on the under side of the plate D, being secured atits ends to the latter and bearin g at its middle against one side of the track A to exert friction on the latter. I

Referring further to Fig. 9, with the operative parts and their carrying-frame swung to one side, as shown in this figure, the typewriter may conveniently be used for printing on walls or on windows, on boxes or packages, or the like.

The spacing mechanism previously described is that illustrated in Figs. 2, 3, 4:, 7, S, and 9. In the form shown in Figs. 12 and 13 the spacing-dog H is disposed diagonally and is depressed in the same manner as the dog H, and also its lower end is shifted by the lever K, previously mentioned, to vary the spacing. The dog H, however, which preferably is U-shaped, is hinged or pivoted to the carriage-plate Bas, for instance, by

caress bending outward the ends 7L5 and engaging them in eyes There is a spring N, preferably a retractile spring, provided to coact with the dog H, said spring in the instance shown ranging lengthwise of the track A and secured by its ends to the'base-plate B of the carriage and to the dog H, so that as the dog is depressed in the act of printing and caused to propel the carriage the spring N will be distended, and upon the release of the printing device the reaction of the spring will tend to return the dog H to its normal position and raise the plate B. It is explained that there is a desirable correlation between the hinged member B, the rotary printing devices, the lift-spring B and the spring N in this that when the hinged member is depressed farthest the action of the cause the dog H, through which it acts, is

almost at right angles to the spring N, and there is therefore a pronounced opposition from the latter spring to the accidental de pression of the parts. When the dog H is depressed,however, it will be noted the force of the spring N is minimized, because the dog, through which the spring acts, is almost or quite parallel with the direction of force of the spring N, and the lifting action of such spring alone might not come into play with the quickness desirable for neat printing.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. Impression devices comprising fingers, and a rubber-type web or strip forming a connection between adjacent fingers to lend elasticity thereto. Y

2. In impression devices, spring-fingers,

and a rubber strip having type held thereto by the material of the type interlocking with the said fingers, the strip forming a connection between adjacent fingers.

3. In impression devices, the combination of a type member having radial fingers, and a member in the form of a disk, one of said members being concaved so that there is an edge engagement of the disk with the fingers.

4. In impression devices, the combination of a type member having radial fingers, and

a member in the form of an index-disk, one

' of said members being concaved so that there and a lever for varying the angle of the dog, the lever having an arched part bridging the track and having a part loosely engaging the dog.

6. The combination of impression devices and spacing devices including a dog, the dog having a portion integral therewith having a torsional action.

7. In a type-writer, a carriage and a track therefor, a dog adapted to engage the track to propel the carriage, the dog being normally free of engagement, and a frictionspring retaining the carriage, allin combination, whereby the carriage may be shifted back by pressure merely, as set forth.

8. The combination with a base having a trackway, of a carriage mounted to travel on the trackway, the carriage including'a support which is hinged to swing bodily toward and from the trackway, impression devices mounted on said hinged support and to move bodily with the same toward and from the trackway in printing, and a pawl on said sup port, thepawl engaging the trackway and be ing carried bodily by and traveling with the carriage.

9. The combination with a base having a trackway, of a carriage mounted to travel on the trackway, the carriage including a support which is hinged, to swing toward and from the trackway,impression devices mounted on said hinged support, a pawl on said support and en gaging the trackway, the pawl being carried bodily by and traveling with the carriage, and a shifting lever on the carriage and engaging the pawl, the movement of the lever serving to shift the pawl whereby to limit the stroke of the pawl and consequently the feed of the carriage.

10. The combination with a base having a trackway, of a carriage mounted to travel on the trackway, the carriage including a supportwhich is hinged to swing toward and from the trackway,impression devices mounted on said hinged support, a pawl on the support and engaging the trackway, the pawl being carried bodily by and traveling with the carriage, and the pawl being arranged on the under side of the support between the same and the trackway, and being inclined toward the track and capable of lateral movement, and means for moving the pawl laterally to change its inclination and thereby regulate the'feed of the carriage.

IIO

11. The combination of a track, impression devices mounted to travel thereon and alsoto move toward and from the same, a spring pressing between the track and impression devices to place the impression devices in frictional engagement with the track, and a pawl carried by the impression devices and .capable of engaging the track to propel the Way, said carriage including a hinged member forming a support to swing bodily there with toward and from the trackway when effecting an impression, impression devices mounted on the support and adapted to turn in a plane approximately parallel with the plane of the hinged support, and a pawl on the support and engaging the trackway, the pawl being carried bodily by and traveling with the carriage.

13. The combination with a base having a trackway, of a carriage mounted to travel on the trackway, said carriage including a support which is hinged to swing toward and from the trackway,impression devices mounted on the support and adapted to turn in a plane approximately parallel with the plane of the hinged support, theimpression devices comprising a wheel having separate flexible printing-fingers whereby the wheel may be rotated in the plane of the hinged support to locate the type and whereby the hinged member may be depressed and the proper flexible printing-finger flexed to effect an impression, and feed devices for propelling the carriage, the feed devices being actuated by the depression of the hinged support. A

14. The combination with a base having a trackway, of a carriage mounted to slide on the trackway, the carriage including a support which is hinged to swing flatwise toward and from the trackway, impression devices mounted to turn on the said support, the impression devices including a wheel provided with separate flexible fingers respectively carrying the type-disks whereby the wheel may be rotated to locate the type and whereby the hinged member may be depressed and the proper flexible printing-finger flexed, to effect an impression, and feed devices for propelling the carriage, the feed devices being actuated by the depression of the hinged support.

15. A type-writerhavingimpression devices including rubber type,eachtype being formed of a back and front member joined by a neck or contracted portion, the front member having the printing-surface formed thereon, the contracted portion or neck having the greater flexibility by reason of its reduced size to permit said front member to strike squarely on the surface printed upon.

16. A type-writer, a base therefor and a skeleton frame hinged to the base and carrying the operative parts, the frame with the operative parts swinging to lie on the base, the frame being also adapted to swing away from and to one side of the base, the frame permitting the operative devices to print in either position.

17. A type-writer, a base therefor and a skeleton frame hinged to the base and carrying the operative parts, the frame with the operative parts swinging to lie on the base,the frame being also adapted to swing away from and to one side of the base, the frame permitting the operative devices to print in either position, the frame having a longitudinal bar inward from the hinged end, the said operative parts including a carriage and a track therefor, the carriage having a member engaging and guided by said bar in addition to being guided by the trackway.

18. In a type-writer a printing-wheel having a plate with orifices therein at intervals, and rubber type on the plate, the rubber extending to both surfaces of the plate, through the orifices and around the material of the plate which intervenes the orifices, whereby said intervening material of the plate between the orifices will be inclosed by and interlocked with the rubber.

PHILIP BECKER. WILLIAM J. THOMPSON. 

